1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light intercepting device, which controls transmission/interception of light, and an optical switch apparatus, which controls a traveling direction of a light signal using the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,099 describes a shutter device (light intercepting device) for interrupting light signal transmission by use of a waveguide.
In the shutter device, a metal element constituting a movable portion is supported from a fixed pillar through a twisted beam (hinge), an address electrode is provided in the metal element, and a metal shutter is provided at a tip of the metal element. When voltage is applied to the address electrode, the metal electrode inclines by an electrostatic force, and a metal shutter portion is hung down into a gap of the waveguide provided in a lower part to intercept a light signal passing through the waveguide.
Such a shutter is used in turning on/off the light signal transmission, but an operation of the shutter needs to be sped up by increasing a rate of the information transmission. With an increase of an information transmission amount, waveguides are sometimes arranged in parallel in an array. In this case, to avoid enlargement of a whole information transmission line, the shutter is also desired to be miniaturized.